


Warmth

by Cirilla9



Category: Winnetou - Karl May
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Bi-Curiosity, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Or Is It?, POV First Person, Pining, Romantic Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-19 21:37:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16542743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirilla9/pseuds/Cirilla9
Summary: A night is cold





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> This is set when they're hiding near Kiowa village but could be read without that context as well.
> 
> An idea prompted by one ridiculous imo scene with Old Shatterhand's horse in the book. I improved it.

“Why is my white brother looking at his horse so carefully? Is the animal wounded?”

“No, I’m just waiting for it to lie down.”

The unspoken ‘what?’ whisked through Winnetou’s features.

“I plan to warm up with its heat during the night,” I explained a bit put off at the Apache’s growing bewilderment. “The temperature may drop judging by observing the stars and the moon like you taught me…”

My forethought seemed quite reasonable to me. But to my astonishment Winnetou, though not exactly snorted nor smiled controlling his lips masterfully which corners itched to curl up in a smirk, looked at me with such a glint in his dark eyes that could be only described as mirth. The amusement was at my expense no doubt, although I still failed to see what the joke was. The young chief soon explained it to me.

“Horses do not sleep lying down. Let my brother come here,” he threw off the skin he was covered with and shifted to the side invitingly, making a spare space at his bedding.

He was dressed, as a matter of fact, in Indian manner. But could a loincloth that rather emphasized than covered some… assets be considered a proper attire by European standards? Winnetou’s strong muscled thighs were plainly visible beneath it where the cover pelt did not reach. Winnetou’s bare hairless chest raised and fell in regular breathing, now his ribcage expanded a tad more, when he drew in more air to say something.

“What is my brother waiting for? Did he not want to get warm? The idea was good and I am offering a plausible carrying out.”

And how could I explain him? After all he didn’t propose anything wicked. Besides, were he a white man dressed in European fashion… were he any other man dressed or undressed I wouldn’t ponder it twice. In the end I complied his request, fearing to offend him by yet longer hesitation.

Warmth emanated from his body like from a mustang heated in a gallop, like from a hearth at chilly evening. Or maybe it was just my anxiety that kept me so warm. Winnetou was so close that I could feel his breath at my cheek when he turned his face toward me. So close that I could hear the beating of his heart. I could feel its thump if I’d put a hand on his breast. I swallowed, lying motionlessly.

“Do I make my white brother nervous?”

“No, it’s just…” it was useless to try to lie to him, “among my people-”

“It’s not proper among pale faces for two men to sleep together. Kleki-Petra told us. But I thought he was speaking about-” here Winnetou used an Apache word I didn’t understand. Eyes, black in the moonlight, pierced me with an intense gaze. “If my brother wills so, let us sleep apart.”

“No, here is perfectly pleasant for me,” I blurted out, content with the dusk and lack of bonfires and hoping that in the darkness Winnetou cannot see how my cheeks reddened.

It was hard for me to meet Morpheus that night, having Winnetou so close. And long after he fell asleep, I was still awake. But I wasn’t overly concerned with the lack of rest. I listened to Winnetou’s deep breathing. I enjoyed his unconscious presence. A few tresses of his splendid thick hair slipped off the plaits to fall down his shoulders when he shifted in his dreams and sometimes some move brought him yet closer to me to the point of nearly cuddling.


End file.
